New York, August 25 (AP) — Daniil Medvedev's match at the U.S. Open faced an unusual delay on Sunday night when a photographer entered the court at a critical moment. With Medvedev on the verge of elimination against Benjamin Bonzi, the interference caused a delay between points of over six minutes, leading to tension and drama on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open champion and No. 13 seed, was just a point away from losing when the incident occurred. However, he managed to rally and win the next two sets, only to be defeated in the fifth set by Bonzi with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4, which concluded early Monday morning.
Bonzi, reflecting on the match, said, “I tried to stay calm, but it was not easy.” The French player, who was leading 5-4 in the third set, faced the unusual situation when a photographer disrupted the game. Bonzi’s first serve was interrupted after missing it, and before he could hit his second, the chair umpire Greg Allensworth intervened, granting Bonzi another first serve as per standard tennis procedures.
Enraged by the decision, Medvedev approached the chair to express his frustration, declaring, “He wants to go home, guys. He doesn't like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour,” capturing his dissatisfaction into the nearby microphones.
Post-match, Medvedev clarified his frustration was not directed at the photographer but at the umpire's decision. He contended, “The delay from the photographer was probably four seconds and a half. I'm not sure it's enough for a (first) serve.” Adding fuel to the fire, Medvedev referenced an incident involving Reilly Opelka, known for receiving a penalty for comments about the same umpire. Medvedev refrained from elaborating, saying, “I'm getting big fine enough, so if I speak I'm in big trouble, so I'm not going to speak.”
The prolonged boos from Armstrong's crowd became intense, with Medvedev alternating between encouraging and trying to quiet them so Bonzi could focus. The unique atmosphere coupled with Medvedev’s previous antics, which included snatching a towel from a ballperson, throwing his racket, and gesturing inappropriately during the infamous 2019 match, made it a memorable event.
Back in 2019 on the same court, Medvedev's behavior led to significant fines, yet he channeled the crowd's disapproval into energy then and nearly did it again. Despite a difficult year, including a first-round exit against Bonzi at Wimbledon, Medvedev's efforts to rally were ultimately in vain. Following the match, Medvedev vented his frustration on his racket before leaving the court.
A spokesman for the U.S. Tennis Association confirmed that the photographer’s credential was revoked following the incident.
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